USA TODAY 10Best
10 distilleries that are raising the bar with their specialty spirits
Best Craft Specialty Spirits (2023)
Gin, vodka, rum and whiskey are all great, but the American thirst for craft spirits has grown beyond the bounds of the traditional to embrace specialty spirits from around the globe. Modern-day distilleries now craft liqueurs, absinthe, aquavit, amaro and a host of other libations alongside their flagship spirits.
With so many options, we asked a panel of travel experts and American spirits experts to narrow the field by nominating their top picks, then readers voted for their favorites. Here are the 10 best craft specialty spirits distilleries in the United States.
Photo courtesy of A Paid Photographer
No. 10: DEKI Distillery - Old Town Layfayette, Colorado
In Old Town Lafayette, Colorado, DEKI's small family-owned and -operated distillery focuses on exceptional spirits resulting in outstanding cocktails. Ten distinct spirits include coffee, amaretto, orange and 2nd Shot cinnamon liqueurs. DEKI sees their craft spirits as "art" and recommends getting creative with their liquers, mixing them to create your own masterpiece.
Photo courtesy of Clare Barboza
No. 9: Saxtons River Distillery - Brattleboro, Vermont
Among the specialty spirits from Saxtons River Distillery in Vermont are a maple liqueur made from distilled Vermont maple syrup aged in American oak. They also offer a coffee liqueur made with Arabica beans roasted in Vermont, cold-brewed and infused into a house-distilled spirit.
Photo courtesy of Cardinal Spirits
No. 8: Cardinal Spirits - Bloomington, Indiana
Indiana’s Cardinal Spirits provides their American version of an Italian liqueur with its one-of-a-kind spicy and naturally sweet La Boite Amaro. Fifteen botanicals are blended to complement distilled red wine. The distillery also offers a Valencia Spanish Orange Liqueur, a Songbird Coffee Liqueur with added bourbon vanilla beans and cane sugar, and a Floral Liqueur infused with raspberries, jasmine, elderflower and hibiscus.
Photo courtesy of Wheyward Spirit
No. 7: Wheyward Spirit - California
This creative woman-founded truly innovative company takes the whey, or byproduct "waste" created from dairy products, and turns it into a base spirit that combines the best elements of vodka, sake, gin, and rum. It's creamy, smooth and features the flavors of vanilla and warm spice. For more creativity, check out the spirit now being used in Ben & Jerry's Dublin Mudslide ice cream flavor.
Photo courtesy of Smugglers' Notch Distillery
No. 6: Smugglers' Notch Distillery - Jeffersonville, Vermont
Smugglers' Notch is a father-and-son-run distillery in the Vermont mountains. Their vodka is a Double Gold medal winner in the industry, but for something truly unique – and local – make sure to try their Maple Cream Liqueur, made with 100% Vermont maple syrup, perfect to pair with your pancakes.
Photo courtesy of Mike Huffman
No. 5: Whidbey Island Distillery - Langley, Washington
Whidbey Island Distillery puts Washington berries to good use, making delicious fruit liqueurs like their award-winning loganberry liqueur, which received a Double Gold from Sip Magazine amongst other accolades. They also make a divine blackberry liqueur, where blackberries are bathed in brandy distilled from Washington wines for 8 months. Boysenberry and raspberry liqueurs are also on offer from this three-generation family distillery.
Photo courtesy of Kasey Walker Minnick
No. 4: Six & Twenty Distillery - Greenville, South Carolina
Besides their core favorites of grain-to-glass whiskeys, Greenville's Six & Twenty also has some specialty offerings. Their Carolina Cream was created when the owner's mother-in-law asked for a specific Irish Cream for Christmas. He responded with a blend of 5-grain bourbon, spices and natural cream that features vanilla and cocoa notes and is basically a liquid dessert or perfect addition to your coffee. The distillery also makes Carolina Cream in a peach version, using loads of fresh southern peaches.
Photo courtesy of Kate Kenealy
No. 3: Big Spring Spirits - Bellefonte, Pennsylvania
Big Springs Spirits, located in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, is an environmentally-friendly LEED-Gold-certified distillery – the first in the state, second in the country and third in the world. Big Springs Spirits is best known for its whiskey, gin and vodka but also offers a Coffee Cordial that comes in handy when making a White Russian.
Photo courtesy of Sugarlands Distilling Company
No. 2: Sugarlands Distilling Company - Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Sugarlands Distilling Company specializes in moonshine, but this Tennessee distillery also makes a line of boozy Sippin’ Creams in flavors like Strawberry Dream, Pumpkin Spice Latte, Electric Orange, Egg Nog, Dark Chocolate and Butter Pecan.
Photo courtesy of Amanda Olivero
No. 1: City Gate Spirits - St. Augustine, Florida
This distillery offers moonshine, whiskey, rum and vodka – only steps from St. Augustine's iconic City Gate. If you prefer moonshine, they have White Lightning, Apple Pie, Cola and Orange N' Cream flavors. You can also take home their Ancient City Spice or Passion Fruit Sour mixers as souvenirs of your trip to St. Augustine.
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Amber Gibson
Amber Gibson spends 350 nights a year in hotels... Read More
Amber Gibson spends 350 nights a year in hotels searching for the latest and greatest in the travel industry. Her writing and photographs have appeared in print, online, and on the radio for outlets including Forbes, National Geographic Traveler, Departures, Four Seasons Magazine, Conde Nast Traveller, NPR, Saveur, Departures, Rhapsody, Hemispheres, American Way, Private Air, and Serious Eats. She graduated as valedictorian from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and received a fellowship to attend the 2017 Wine Writers Symposium at Meadowood Napa Valley. Champagne, dark chocolate and gelato are her biggest weaknesses.
Amber Gibson
Amber Gibson spends 350 nights a year in hotels searching for the latest and greatest in the travel industry. Her writing and photographs have appeared in print, online, and on the radio for outlets including Forbes, National Geographic Traveler, Departures, Four Seasons Magazine, Conde Nast Traveller, NPR, Saveur, Departures, Rhapsody, Hemispheres, American Way, Private Air, and Serious Eats. She graduated as valedictorian from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and received a fellowship to attend the 2017 Wine Writers Symposium at Meadowood Napa Valley. Champagne, dark chocolate and gelato are her biggest weaknesses.
Amber Love Bond
Amber Love Bond is a Miami-based food + beverage... Read More
Amber Love Bond is a Miami-based food + beverage and travel writer, who is always on the go and looking for her next adventure. After a decade-long career in corporate finance, she stumbled upon her passion for writing about the world around and hasn't looked back. Amber contributes to over a dozen print and digital publications including Travel & Leisure, Thrillist, Forbes, Eater, Southern Living, Miami New Times, HelloGiggles, Men’s Health, Fodor’s Travel Guide, and more. Typically you can find her at the opening of every restaurant, sipping cocktails at the coolest bars, or hanging out under a palm tree with her laptop (and a cocktail) in tow. Follow her adventures on Instagram at @amber__love.
Amber Love Bond
Amber Love Bond is a Miami-based food + beverage and travel writer, who is always on the go and looking for her next adventure. After a decade-long career in corporate finance, she stumbled upon her passion for writing about the world around and hasn't looked back. Amber contributes to over a dozen print and digital publications including Travel & Leisure, Thrillist, Forbes, Eater, Southern Living, Miami New Times, HelloGiggles, Men’s Health, Fodor’s Travel Guide, and more. Typically you can find her at the opening of every restaurant, sipping cocktails at the coolest bars, or hanging out under a palm tree with her laptop (and a cocktail) in tow. Follow her adventures on Instagram at @amber__love.
Carrie Honaker
Carrie Honaker is a Florida-based food and travel... Read More
Carrie Honaker is a Florida-based food and travel writer who is not sure where she will land next, but it will involve messy eating, a spicy Tempranillo, and finding the local farmers market. She has hauled oyster cages off the Forgotten Coast of Florida, harvested indigenous crops with the Abenaki Tribe in Vermont, learned to make beef patties from a Jamaican auntie, made Guavaberry Liqueur with a 7th generation distiller on St. Maarten, and stomped cacao pods in Grenada. She writes about food, drink, travel, and culture for Bon Appetit, Conde Nast Traveler, Wine Enthusiast, Fodor’s Travel, Travel + Leisure, Food & Wine, and many more. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram.
Carrie Honaker
Carrie Honaker is a Florida-based food and travel writer who is not sure where she will land next, but it will involve messy eating, a spicy Tempranillo, and finding the local farmers market. She has hauled oyster cages off the Forgotten Coast of Florida, harvested indigenous crops with the Abenaki Tribe in Vermont, learned to make beef patties from a Jamaican auntie, made Guavaberry Liqueur with a 7th generation distiller on St. Maarten, and stomped cacao pods in Grenada. She writes about food, drink, travel, and culture for Bon Appetit, Conde Nast Traveler, Wine Enthusiast, Fodor’s Travel, Travel + Leisure, Food & Wine, and many more. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram.
Jacky Runice
Born in Bucktown when bulletproof was a home... Read More
Born in Bucktown when bulletproof was a home safety choice and not a coffee order, Jacky Runice has been knocking around Chicago as a professional print, online and broadcast journalist and editor specializing in separating the riff from the raff in culture, entertainment, food, travel and pure unadulterated fun. Jacky is a member of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA).
In her best Chicagoese, Jacky asks, "Who has the time or money to blow on hotels, attractions, restaurants, exhibits and activities that blow?"
Jacky Runice
Born in Bucktown when bulletproof was a home safety choice and not a coffee order, Jacky Runice has been knocking around Chicago as a professional print, online and broadcast journalist and editor specializing in separating the riff from the raff in culture, entertainment, food, travel and pure unadulterated fun. Jacky is a member of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA).
In her best Chicagoese, Jacky asks, "Who has the time or money to blow on hotels, attractions, restaurants, exhibits and activities that blow?"
Jillian Dara
Jillian is a travel and culture journalist whose... Read More
Jillian is a travel and culture journalist whose passion for wandering began at 8-years-old. Growing up in Bermuda, Jillian quickly became comfortable on planes and intrigued by the concept of the unfamiliar. This led Jillian to pursue travel journalism; from living in Boston, London and Santiago, to exploring Nicaragua, southern China and the new middle east, she appreciates the ability to share stories about destinations and to connect them to a deeper cultural perspective. Outside of 10Best, Jillian’s work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, Forbes, DuJour, Elite Traveler, Hemispheres and Wine Enthusiast.
Jillian Dara
Jillian is a travel and culture journalist whose passion for wandering began at 8-years-old. Growing up in Bermuda, Jillian quickly became comfortable on planes and intrigued by the concept of the unfamiliar. This led Jillian to pursue travel journalism; from living in Boston, London and Santiago, to exploring Nicaragua, southern China and the new middle east, she appreciates the ability to share stories about destinations and to connect them to a deeper cultural perspective. Outside of 10Best, Jillian’s work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, Forbes, DuJour, Elite Traveler, Hemispheres and Wine Enthusiast.
Catherine Smith
Catherine Smith, Readers' Choice Awards Production... Read More
Catherine Smith, Readers' Choice Awards Production Manager and Social Media Director for USA TODAY 10Best, has a special interest in unique culinary experiences and off-the-beaten-path adventures. Catherine is the founder of Her Bags Were Packed where she focuses on helping women release emotional baggage through solo travel and self-discovery.
Catherine Smith
Catherine Smith, Readers' Choice Awards Production Manager and Social Media Director for USA TODAY 10Best, has a special interest in unique culinary experiences and off-the-beaten-path adventures. Catherine is the founder of Her Bags Were Packed where she focuses on helping women release emotional baggage through solo travel and self-discovery.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,... Read More
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.